Aquarium
With completely renovated facilities, the aquarium provides a space for the design of essential animal experiments in an ethical and animal-friendly environment.
The Aquarium service (also known as SACUIM) has specialized technical staff dedicated to the care and welfare of marine organisms used for experimentation. This staff has extensive experience and training and can assess and support research staff in the design and execution of projects involving animal experimentation.
The SACUIM team works with fish and molluscs, such as zebrafish, turbot, cephalopods and mussels. It also has the infrastructure needed to produce and store phyto- and zooplankton species used as food for fish and molluscs.
If you would like to know more about the Institute's efforts to ensure responsible animal experimentation and how we care for animals, click the button below.
Animal Experimentation and Welfare Body (OEBA)
With an area of 300 m2, the aquarium is divided into several separate rooms, and both its walls and floors are suitably equipped with materials appropriate for wet work. All rooms have freshwater, cold and hot seawater (filtered to 10 μm) and raw water (filtered to 50 μm) supplies, as well as filtered air conditioning and a leak containment system. It also has an ozone wastewater pretreatment system that complies with the limits established by regulations.
These singular facilities are considered a breeding and use centre for experimental animals under REGA code ES360570202001 and have recently undergone refurbishment and updating thanks to aid for scientific and technological infrastructures co-financed by ERDF funds (CSIC13-1E-2049 2012-2013).
Main tasks
- Feeding, treating and caring for the animals housed in the facilities, ensuring suitable conditions for the development and welfare of each species.
- Recording animal arrivals and departures and the procedures carried out: number of individuals and species, entries and exits, births, deaths, treatments administered, etc.
- Supporting IIM-CSIC research staff in animal experimentation procedures, in accordance with both internal regulations (OEBA) and the applicable external legislation.
- Maintaining the technical infrastructure of the aquarium systems, such as pumps, aerators, filters, ultraviolet lamps, perlon filter cleaning, lighting, air conditioning, etc., in coordination with the Institute's Maintenance Service.